Disclaimer: I don't own anything below...

A little after-hours exploration never hurt anyone, and you've wanted to do this your whole life, just you and no one else. You know Jump like the back of your hand, now, there's no way you'd get lost. And who knows what the city is like after everyone's asleep? Dick reasoned with himself, a shiver of excitement running down his spine. He'd never done anything like this. Unthinkable, for his image. But there was no one here to hold him back, now.

Dick held the costume up in front of him. Spandex. He'd freeze his butt off. But still, it would be the farthest thing from an encumbrance, and for what he was thinking of doing, he'd need a lot of room to manuever. He unfolded the costume and a small, black piece of cloth fell out of the folds. A mask.

It's just as well, Dick thought as he climbed out his window, silently enough not to wake any of the Logans. As much as I don't care what everyone thinks of me, it's probably better not to have the entire nation laughing at the fact that Dick Grayson is running around in tights.

"What do you want?" she asked, her teeth gritted. The cold, cold metal pressed into her temple, feeding the fear growing in her stomach. The man laughed, tightening his hold around her waist. Neither noticed the dark shadow jump down from the roof of one of the buildings they were between.

"What do you think I--" He stopped suddenly, and the hold on her waist loosened. She glanced upwards in confusion only to see that a different man had taken the drunk's place, steadying her in her time of shock.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice deep and husky. She blinked, making sure she wasn't hallucinating. The guy was wearing tights. Not only that, but he actually looked good in tights. His long, jet black hair hung down below his ears, and a mask, similar to hers, covered his eyes and most of his nose. Blue and black spandex adorned his body, with a dark bird in the center of his chest. She gulped. This one was built, far more so than the other guy. She wasn't entirely sure she could take him, but then, she wasn't entirely sure she would have to. He didn't look like he would hurt her...yet.

Only when he gave a lopsided smile did she realize she'd been staring for far too long. Someone groaned at his side, and she realized it was the man who'd tried to mug her before. She tried to say something, but he beat her to it. "Can you talk? Did he hurt you?"

She was startled, which obviously meant her defenses down. She needed to stay alert. Quickly, she pushed the second guy away, her arms held up defensively, ready to unleash her star bolts at a moment's notice. "What do you want?" she hissed, as threateningly as she could make her voice sound. The man held up his arms, looking surprised.

"Just to help, I swear. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you."

She started to back away, a scowl adorning her face. "I don't need help." As fast as her legs could carry her, she disappeared out of sight. Never mind this apartment. Too many lunatics around there.

"You okay, man? You look like death warmed over," Vic commented at lunch the next day. Karen felt his forehead worriedly, but Dick waved them away.

"I'm fine, just didn't get a lot of sleep last night," he assured them.

Gar frowned. "But I didn't hear anything. You were sleeping like a baby."

"You couldn't hear a nuclear explosion while you were sleeping, little man. Believe me," Vic added to Dick, "I've tried waking him up before. I don't know how Rita does it every morning." Dick grinned, searching desperately for another topic. How was he supposed to explain to his friends that he'd been traveling around the city half the night, met up with some girl about to get shot, and then nearly had his head bitten off by her? All that, only to not get to sleep until four o'clock in the morning. He'd gotten lost, of all things. And he'd been so sure he knew the city by now...

Fortunately, Karen provided a means of escape. "Listen, there's a new girl in our classes. Transfer. Don't know from where. You guys wouldn't mind if she hung around us for a little bit, you know, until she gets the hang of this place?" Rachel just shrugged, unwilling as she was to meet new people, but the rest were up for it.

"Aw, how nice and kind and compassionate and caring and sensitive of you, Karen," Vic crooned, kissing his girlfriend as Karen blushed with embarrassment. "It's our anniversary today, so I've got to be extra-good or Karen'll get me for it tomorrow."

They all laughed, but Gar shot a furtive look at Dick, and he knew something was up. "What?"

"Nothing! Nothing really, I mean, not that this new girl is anyone that you would really want to get to know, because, come on, what could possibly--" Karen slapped her hand over his mouth, an action he saw more and more of the longer he knew them.

"Thanks for that, Gar," she muttered.

"You're not trying to set me up, are you?" Dick challenged.

"Of course not, Dick. To tell the truth, I honestly don't think the girl even knows what that means. She's more than a little confused, that's why I wanted to help her out." Dare he hope? If it was that girl back from the taxi...but why enroll now, when that incident was two months ago?

"What's her name?" he asked slowly.

"Kory Anders."

Tristan Roth was not in a happy mood. He rarely was. But this...how dare that little man take away the billions of dollars worth of xenothium Tristan had guarded and collected throughout the last few decades? Gone! All in exchange for a stupid little folder that possibly held his life in it's contents. All for his safety. He cursed himself for not being more careful. But then, he'd never been patient. And he'd so needed to install respect in the name of Roth Industries, especially after that scandal all those years ago with the first experiment...

One success, that was all he needed. His 'secret ingredient' to amazing outcomes on the human body. But the mutant had to fly out before it was over, of course. If she ever found out who she was, not only him, but his entire company had met it's downfall. Lawsuits. He hated when they were against him.

And this guy, Chang, could not be trusted. He'd probably turn against him as soon as the lawsuits started coming, to protect his own midget hide. He needed to be removed...permanently.

Tristan picked up the phone and dialed a well-known number. He knew many people willing to take on the job, but few who could do it as quickly, effectively, and silently as Slade Wilson could.

"Hey, Kory. You remember me, right? I'm Karen. This is my boyfriend, Vic."

"Hey, little lady, how's it going?" he greeted, holding out his hand to shake.

Kory thought carefully. "Very well. I believe I am very little from your line of vision, am I not?" she giggled. He laughed along with her.

"She's alright."

Karen rolled her eyes. "Anyways, this is Gar and Rachel. What they see in each other, I have no idea, but they're dating."

Rachel's mouth twitched, but she decided it was too much effort to fake a smile and remained stonily silent. Gar, however, was practically bouncing up and down. "Hi--hic!--I'm Gar--hic!--and this is--hic!--Rachel, she's--hic!--usually this quiet--hic!--so don't be offended or--hic!--anything, she doesn't mean--hic!--it. So do you--hic!--have sugar on you--hic!--or maybe some water--hic!--either one, I--hic!--need both." He smiled apologetically, still hiccupping. Rachel sighed and shushed him.

"Sorry. He's usually like that."

"Anyways," continued Karen, not wanting to scare the poor girl, "Kory, meet Dick." Kory gasped, recognizing him immediately. He smiled at her, and she felt her face heat for no particular reason.

"We've met. Taken any taxis lately, Kory?" Her blush grew worse, and Dick laughed. "I'm kidding, don't worry about it. I didn't know you lived here."

"Oh...y-yes," she stuttered. Why had it suddenly become so hard to move her tongue? "I have t-taken your advice. About keeping m-money with me."

Dick nodded. "You don't want to go spreading that around, though. You might get robbed or something." Kory blinked, hoping no one had seen the dark flash of remembrance she'd had about the night before in her eyes. Oh, the irony. She might get robbed?

"Of course not."

"You guys know each other? From where?" Vic asked interestedly.

Dick shrugged, noticing her nervous habit of biting her lip and correctly interpreting that she didn't want to talk about it. "It's a long story. Hey, Kory, is your house far from here? If you needed a ride..." He grinned.

"No thank you," she answered quietly. "I enjoy walking. But it has been a pleasure to meet all of you. I thank you for assisting me today, Karen." They all parted ways, Kory stealing one last secretive glance at Dick. Why he made her feel so strange was still a mystery.

After the strangeness of last night, she was as jumpy as a hare. The smallest twitch was given her full attention, the tiniest sound had a star bolt aimed at it. She wanted to meet no more people tonight. She had a job that needed to get done.

Finding herself on the same rooftop, she made sure no one was in the dark alley beneath her, and prepared to jump.

"We really should stop meeting like this." She yelped quietly, turning around to meet none other than her 'saviour' from the night before. He was leaning up against the door that led to the top most floor of the building from the rooftop, smirking. She snarled, ready to fight at a moment's notice, but he didn't do much else than wait for her response.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"My name is D...Nightwing. And as for your second question, nothing. Just wanted to know what you're doing, and why you hate me so much. I didn't do anything to you that I would consider bad." Cocky, insolent jerk! Her eyes narrowed.

"What I do is no business of yours. If you don't want to get hurt, you'll leave me alone!"

Nightwing chuckled, completely unfazed. "Yeah? There's no need to dramatize this. You won't even confide in the guy who saved your life?"

"I could have escaped by myself," she huffed. He still looked skeptical, but she smiled a little. It was high time to scare this guy away. Concentrating as hard as she could, she brought her star bolts to life.

"Whoa!" he stumbled back a couple of steps, properly intimidated. Her smirk grew wider. "Wha-what are you?" It faded instantly.

"Didn't I tell you? Now get away from me. I promise I won't hold back next time." She turned to jump again, but felt a hand on her sholder, which she shrugged away immediately as she turned yet again. Before she started to snap, though, she caught herself. He didn't look as cocky now. Definitely more serious.

"You're that theif, aren't you? The one that's all over the news. Starfire." He gave a snort of contempt. "I don't put up with criminals."

The remark stung, but she didn't let it show. "Tough luck. I don't have time to put up with you." She pushed him away, but was apparently stronger than she seemed. He flew all the way to the other side of the roof, as startled as she. Super strength, too. Are there no end to these surprises?

Finally, she made it into the house with no interruptions.

Okay, another chapter with loads of POV switchings...I honestly can't tell you when they'll stop, because I have no idea where I'm going with this story. Sorry...